


Go up to the Roof

by dyingpoet



Series: Javid one shots [10]
Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Canon, Canon Era, Character Study, David Jacobs/Jack Kelly-centric, Gay Male Character, M/M, Mutual Pining, i simply think all str8 movie scenes would be better if they were gay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-25
Updated: 2020-06-25
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:27:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24914599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dyingpoet/pseuds/dyingpoet
Summary: That exact rooftop scene from Newsies (1992) with Sarah and Jack except i made it javid instead
Relationships: David Jacobs/Jack Kelly
Series: Javid one shots [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/960672
Comments: 14
Kudos: 80





	Go up to the Roof

**Author's Note:**

> shoutout to frankie for giving me this idea while we were fucked up watching 92sies last night <3

The night after the first day of the strike Jack couldn’t sleep. That in and of itself wasn’t that unusual, Jack and a lot of the other guys had a rough time sleeping most nights, but it felt different then. Every time he tried to calm down enough to dose off it was like his stomach dropped out from under him. 

Dread. That’s the best way he knew to describe it. The minute he tried to stop thinking it was like a siren started going off and it meant _ something bad was going to happen _ . 

Once Crutchie started looking at him funny he figured he should take a walk or something before word got around lodging that Jack Kelly, strike leader, was freaked about something right when things were starting to look up for them. It was bad for morale, so he told Race he’d be back by morning and his second didn’t ask any questions. 

Ending up at Davey’s was an accident, he told himself. His parents had let him sit for dinner or sleep there a few times already, and of course the first place you’re going to end up when wandering around at night is one where you know you have a warm bed. 

It was close to midnight by the time he got to their building, up their fire escape, and to their window.  _ Davey’s  _ window. It was dark but he couldn’t see Les, figuring he probably slept with Sarah or something, so it was just Davey. 

For a second he thought about just knocking and asking if he could sleep inside. It wasn’t that cold really but it looked warm in there, and softer than a fire escape, but Davey looked peaceful. The light from the window cast a shadow right over his face, cutting it in two, and Jack wished harder than anything that he’d brought his sketchpad with him. 

It was picturesque, the scene, he told himself, and it wasn’t something you disturbed. Jack had disturbed enough in the past few days to last him a lifetime, and he threw one last look at Davey, for his memory he told himself, so he could draw later, and settled on the rickety metal stairs. The sirens in his head and the dread that came with it didn’t go away completely, but they were softer and dulled. Like white noise.

* * *

“Did you sleep out there all night?”

Jack tensed up for a split second and blinked rapidly at his surroundings, remembering the night before. His eyes landed on Davey, leaning out his now open window and looking at Jack in a strange way that woke him up faster than anything. He swallowed hard and nodded.

“Yeah.”

“Why didn’t you wake us up?” Davey asked, eyes teasing, looking Jack up and down while he smiled easily. Sleep soft, that’s how Jack would describe him right then. 

“Well I didn’t wanna disturb nobody,” Jack answered, back in his element as the tiredness started melting away. He got up and walked right up in front of Davey, propping his elbows on the windowsill and looking from the skyline to the boy in front of him. “Anyway it's like the Waldorf out here, great view, cool air.”

Davey let out a breathy laugh and looked down at Jack, considering him for a moment. The feeling in his stomach came back.

“Go up on the roof.”

The curtain Davey’d been half hidden behind hit lightly against Jack’s face, and he leaned in past it to catch Davey on his way out. A grin was plastered on his face and it hung around after he turned to start up the ladder.

* * *

Davey took his time following Jack up there, and Jack took the opportunity to work his nerves out. Why he had them, he knew, but he didn't even want to think it just in case god heard and decided to throw him another fast one. The nervous energy building up in his chest was distraction enough, he didn't need a jinx or something on top of it. 

When Davey finally climbed up the ladder next to him, basket in hand, Jack winked at him and made a show of swinging at the spare laundry they’d hung up there; he caught the other’s eye roll but it was fond, and as a matter of fact Davey looked overall sort of fond, different than how he was at distribution or lodging around the other guys. It was a good look on him.

“You hungry?”

Davey’s question brought Jack back down, and he nodded jerkily. It’d been awhile since he’d eaten anything actually, he just wasn’t thinking about it too much right now. “Yeah.”

“Good, ‘cause I made you breakfast,” Davey replied, clearly pleased with himself as he started pulling out food from the basket he’d brought up. 

Jack sat down and propped his elbow up on the table, resting his chin on his palm. While Davey unpacked the food he entertained the thought of asking to draw him. Or paint maybe. Full color would be better. 

“Papa’s so proud of you and the boys,” Davey said after a moment. “You should hear him talking about _ Jack Kelly _ , the strike leader who occasionally takes his meals with us.”

He gave Jack a look and it started up that feeling again. Breaking eye contact he shrugged and barrelled forward. “Well this is one strike leader who’s gonna be happy when it’s all over. I can get outta here and go to Santa Fe. I mean there’s nothin’ for me to stay for is there?”

The last part came out more unsure, hopeful was probably a better word, than Jack wanted, and he cringed a little internally. Then Davey looked at him sidelong, teasing again in a way that started him up talking again just to fill the silence. 

Y’know you should see Santa Fe, everything’s different there, it’s all bigger. Y’know the desert, and the sky, and the sun.” 

Davey had stood up and was at the edge of the roof, leaned up against the wall. Jack thought he’d put him off with all the talk about wanting to get the hell out of New York so bad when he laughed a little and turned to face Jack again.

“It’s the same sun as here,” he deadpanned with a laugh cutting through, sort of like he was playing around with Jack and sort of not. 

It filled Jack up though regardless, and he poured himself coffee with the pot Davey had brought up and let himself chuckle. “Yeah just looks different.” 

Davey ran a hand through his hair and let out a breath, starting to walk for the ladder back down. “I should get ready to go.”

“Davey?” Jack’s voice surprised himself even, and when Davey paused he pushed forward. “I’m just not used to havin’ whether I stay or whether I go matter to anybody.”

There was a clear question there, and Jack got up and walked to where Davey was standing before. He popped his knuckles and looked out over the city, moving over a little when Davey came to stand next to him.

They connected eyes for a second and Jack ducked his head. It sure was hard to talk when you weren’t quite sure about what you were about to say. He said it anyway. 

Yeah, I’m not sayin’ it should matter to you, I’m just sayin’, um-” he stuttered and became acutely aware of Davey staring, curious. Moving back a little from the wall he turned to meet the other’s eye and forced himself to hold the gaze. “But does it? Matter?”

A second passed where Jack felt his stomach drop again and his whole body go cold. And then Davey started smiling, and then laughing a little, and Jack was floating on air. The feeling took up his whole body, some mixture of relief and excitement and just happiness, and he honestly wasn’t sure which one of them leaned in first but then they were kissing and it didn’t matter at all. 

By the time they pulled away, in a rush, remembering where they were, the feeling in his stomach was gone. It was replaced with something, much, much better, and from the look on Davey’s face he had a feeling he felt it too. 

Like the feeling of sunlight on your skin. It filled him. Both of them. 

**Author's Note:**

> i hope yall liked this!!! i havent written for javid in forever but i miss them sm and i wanna start writing more for this fandom again <3
> 
> kudos/comments are always appreciated and u can hmu on tumblr @dying-poet if u have any fic requests or just wanna chat :)


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